A rare species of fruit bats can be found if you explore the beautiful and gift-given island of Dinagat, most particularly the town of Loreto.

While the bats live here, it is believed that their population has diminished more than 50% over the last generations.

Isn’t this sad and alarming? The population site of this endangered species is very small, most containing a few more than 200 individuals (some even fewer than 50).

These unique fruit bats seen rarely around the world, are like heroes and heroines for protecting us from natural “villains” like mosquitoes that can cause human illness.

With these bats around, they help minimize and eliminate sickness because they feed on insects. that’s why bats are our friends, not enemies.

Another important thing, bats are pollinizers and help the forest degenerate faster and thicker. Without them the forest is not “healthy” and incomplete.

If the forest thrive, protected and conserve, it is such a blessing to all living creatures.

Bats can save us, definitely. Let us take care of them and give them a peaceful habitat. They have been with us, our winged neighbors for a long time now.

We must be kind to them. We must protect and preserve them for the next generations to come. And that also means taking care of our whole island.

If we do this, we hit “two birds in one stone” because not only do we save the bats but also ourselves. The bats may be scary and disturbing flying creatures at dusk but they are actually harmless and useful to our existence.

In a sense, they are mightier than you think. Let us move to promote and uphold the value of these creatures-one of the many inhabitants of this green island.

Let us remind and focus on the benefits they give us.

Photos Joseph Magana

Editor’s note :The authors are among the select-participants of the feature writing training and workshop for high-schools, organized by Green Mindanao in partnership with Loreto National High School and Loreto Academy, August 16-17.

Caraga News Courier, the online partner of Mindanao News Courier, is a web-based news and information portal, based in Caraga Region. Bringing fresh perspectives and observations to the podium of public discourse.

Caraga News Courier prides itself to be the bearer of balanced and unbiased news and information, to keep Caraganons, near and far, attuned with the events taking place in the region.